News from Pocahontas County Extension

Beginning Farmer

Galt Couple Makes Gift Commitment to Iowa State University's Beginning Farmer Center
(Posted on 2/9/2010)
Ronald and Florine Swanson, through a deferred gift, will donate $125,000 to establish the Swanson Family Beginning Farmer Center Fund to support the work of the Beginning Farmer Center.

Pork Center

Northwest Iowa Pork Producers Invited to Interactive Risk Management Workshop
(Posted on 2/5/2010)
Iowa pork producers are invited to attend one of three workshops focusing on risk management education and decision making tools scheduled for early this month in northwest Iowa.

Iowa Pork Regional Conferences Offer Wealth of Information
(Posted on 2/4/2010)
Iowa pork producers are invited to learn more about pig comfort, energy efficiency and producer profits at the 2010 Iowa Pork Regional Conferences scheduled for early March.

Catch This Current: One 4-H’er's Electric Story
(Posted on 2/3/2010)
State 4-H Council Member Tymothy Wood says 4-H helped him discover his interests and choose his college path.

Ask the ISU Extension Garden Experts: Cut Flowers, Gloxinia, Selecting an Arborist
(Posted on 2/3/2010)
This week's answers discuss steps to keep fresh flowers fresh, caring for gloxinias and how to go about selecting a skilled arborist.

American Heart Month

Celebrate American Heart Month with Healthy Blood Pressure
(Posted on 2/2/2010)
Educating people about heart disease and stroke is an ongoing need, because heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, says an ISU Extension nutrition specialist.

Hay

2010 Hay Price Update
(Posted on 2/2/2010)
These are hay prices paid at auction in the recent past weeks. Much of the price information is obtained from USDA Hay Market News. Personal contacts of local Iowa hay auctions secured price information for these market outlets. Auctions were chosen to reflect prices across Iowa. Other nearby auctions may exist. No endorsement of the listed auctions is intended.

Ag Day

8th Annual Pocahontas Ag Day March 3
(Posted on 2/2/2010)
Pocahontas Ag Day will be held on March 3 at the Rialto Theater in Pocahontas.

iron chef

Your Cooking Talents are needed for 4-H Jr Chef Clubs
(Posted on 2/2/2010)
Do you love to cook? Do you want to share your culinary talent with youth? Our county is looking to create 4-H Jr Chef Clubs and we need volunteers to lead these clubs.

Initial Online Family Development Certification Training Begins Feb. 8
(Posted on 2/2/2010)
The first completely online version of Family Development Certification Training will be offered Feb. 8 through May 28.

Reverse Mortgage May Be Option for Financing Long-Term Care, But Consider All the Costs
(Posted on 2/2/2010)
If you expect to stay in your current home for several years, a reverse mortgage may be an appropriate way to pay for long-term care. However, reverse mortgages are complicated and costly compared with other types of loans. Be sure you understand the conditions that could make the loan due and payable, ISU Extension specialists say.

Tobin

Terry Tobin: Multiple Roles and Multiple Success through 4-H
(Posted on 2/2/2010)
"4-H is many things to many people. It helps our young people to build community leaders for tomorrow,” says Terry Tobin, director of Principal Enterprise Capital and lifetime 4-H'er.

family support

Combined Courses Begin Feb. 13 -- Family Development Certification Training and Partnering with Parents
(Posted on 1/28/2010)
Family Development Certification Training (FDCT) and Partnering with Parents (PWP) will be offered beginning Feb. 23 in 13 combined sessions.

Mary

Holz-Clause Named Associate Vice President for ISU Extension and Outreach
(Posted on 1/28/2010)
Mary Holz-Clause has been named the associate vice president for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The appointment is effective immediately.

crop scouting

ISU Extension Offers Crop Scout School
(Posted on 1/21/2010)
Workshop offers hands-on sessions that will help attendees qualify for field crop scout positions during the coming growing season.

Dry Manure Applicator Certificate Workshops Offered by Extension
(Posted on 1/21/2010)
Iowa State University Extension will offer a three-hour manure applicator certification workshop for dry manure operators on six different dates and locations in February.

2009 farm poll

Love of Farming Beats Economic Factors in Decision to Farm, Survey Shows
(Posted on 1/21/2010)
Iowa farmers say their adult children who chose to farm did so because they love farming and the quality of life that it entails. But among farm children who selected other occupations, economic factors played a dominant role, according to data from the 2009 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll.

4h

Gala Plans to Raise Awareness, Support for Iowa’s 4-H’ers
(Posted on 1/21/2010)
The Iowa 4-H Foundation hopes to continue showcasing 4-H and raising financial support for the organization during its 60th Anniversary Gala Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Science Center of Iowa in Des Moines.

pat

ISU Extension Offers Test Preparation Sessions for Pesticide Applicators
(Posted on 1/14/2010)
Iowa State University Extension will sponsor two study sessions to help persons prepare to take the exams for Pesticide Applicator Certification.

fuel savings

New Publication Helps Farmers Examine Fuel Savings from Limiting Field Operations
(Posted on 1/13/2010)
A new publication from Iowa State University Extension can help farmers decide when tillage passes beyond a no-till management scheme will yield a return on investment greater that the additional fuel, labor and machinery costs.

Partnering with Parents Course Available Online Jan. 19, Face-to-Face Feb. 23
(Posted on 1/7/2010)
Professionals who work with parents have two opportunities this winter and spring to participate in Partnering with Parents, an Iowa State University Extension course in designing, delivering and evaluating parenting education.

clover

Consider 4-H for New Monsanto Grant Program
(Posted on 1/7/2010)
The Iowa 4-H Foundation hopes farmers will direct community grant dollars to 4-H through a new pilot program that Monsanto is offering throughout Iowa.

ISU Extension Creates Leadership Academy for Public Agency Employees
(Posted on 1/7/2010)
An online leadership academy -- 10 courses of instruction -- to meet the needs of Iowa public agency workers was designed and made available by ISU Extension Continuing Education and Professional Development. Anyone interested in the topics can enroll in one or more of the courses.

Basketball Game

2nd Annual 4-H Day at Cyclone Women’s Basketball Is Feb. 27
(Posted on 1/7/2010)
Iowa 4-H'ers have an opportunity to see the Cyclone women take on Kansas State University on Feb. 27. Tip-off for the game is at 7 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum.

manure applicator

Confinement Site Manure Applicator Workshops Scheduled for 2010
(Posted on 12/2/2009)
Confinement site manure applicators and anyone interested in learning about applying manure should plan to attend one of the 2010 workshops being offered in January and February by Iowa State University Extension.

tractor

2009 - 2010 Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification
(Posted on 12/1/2009)
Private Pesticide Applicator re-certification training dates and locations are being set for this winter and next spring. These trainings will satisfy the 2009 renewal cycle.

Beginning Farmers Conference Looks to the Future Feb. 6
(Posted on 5/14/2008)
Beginning farmers attending the Feb. 6 conference will be in the company of agriculture industry leaders as they build networks in support of their future.

Events